TV Ads To Pump Down The Volume

At Synergy Merchant Services, we are firm believers in advertising. In fact, advertising is one of the most popular tasks that are undertaken by Canadian business owners who participate in our merchant cash advance program. There is, however, a line that should be drawn between what may be considered clever promotional tactics and what are downright annoyances. Let us ask you a question so you know what we mean.

Have you ever noticed that when you are watching television and the show that you are watching goes to break, that the commercials seem louder than the program? This may not be true in all cases, but the “loudness” of T.V. commercials has caused quite a stir in recent years.

As a result, regulators are now insisting that advertisers turn the volume down on their commercials when they go to air! According to QMI Agency, who released a report on this subject yesterday, Canadian broadcasters will be forced to lower the volume on commercials. That way, viewers should no longer have to reach for their remotes to turn the sound down during breaks.

You will have to wait an entire year, however, to take advantage of this new privilege. The QMI report notes that starting on September 1st of next year, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission‘s ruling will take effect. Essentially, it means that “broadcasters will have to ensure that both programs and ads are transmitted at the same volume”.

Konrad von Finckenstein is the CRTC’s chairman. Said von Finckenstein: “Over the years, we have seen a steady increase in consumer complaints about loud ads. Broadcasters have allowed ear-splitting ads to disturb viewers and have left us little choice but to set out clear rules that will put an end to excessively loud ads. The technology exists, let’s use it.”

Although this new law will make its way into regulating Canadian television next year, similar laws have already been passed in Europe and the United States. Apparently, complaints about loud ads in these two parts of the world have been coming in abundantly for a very long time.

QMI reveals that, as a result, “in 2009, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the internationally recognized technical standards body for digital TV, set a standard for measuring and controlling TV signals in order to minimize fluctuations in volume between programming and commercials.”